Rob Lowe Presents Son With 5-Year Sobriety Chip: Recovery ‘Changed Our Lives’
By Movieguide® Contributor
During a recent appearance on THE DREW BARRYMORE SHOW, Rob Lowe celebrated a major milestone with his son, John Owen Lowe.
Host Drew Barrymore started the conversation by speaking about her own addiction issues and how she handles that when talking to her daughters.
“I’ve been really honest with my kids who are younger, but they know my story,” Barrymore said. “They know I can’t drink, like it’s just not for me. It doesn’t work for me.”
Lowe chimed in, saying, “To be able to share recovery — you know, you’re in recovery. I’m in recovery. I’ve got 33 years in recovery — changed our lives.”
“Johnny’s got five years. In fact, Johnny’s five-year birthday was on Saturday, and Johnny, I want to give you your five-year chip,” the actor continued. “I love you [and I’m] proud of you buddy.”
The father and son hugged and John said that he was “speechless.”
“I usually have a witty retort [but] I don’t have one for that,” John continued. “That was really nice of you.”
Lowe has been very open about his issues with addiction. Movieguide® previously reported:
Actor Rob Lowe, who is celebrating 32 years of sobriety this May, said that he is most thankful for his family.
“I’m happy I lived the life that I lived because I have no regrets, but I was super ready to coach Little League, carve pumpkins on Halloween, read books and serve hot lunch on Wednesdays. I really, really loved every minute of it,” Lowe told PEOPLE in a recent interview. “Up until I turned 26, I spent all my time investing in my career. From 26 on, I’ve invested in me; my spirituality, my recovery, my marriage, my family. No one has a perfect life… but I’m grateful for all of it.”
Lowe, who made his film debut in 1983’s THE OUTSIDERS, became one of the biggest stars in Hollywood during the ’80s. However, that fame and fortune led to wild parties and substance abuse.
Lowe’s alcohol addiction and party lifestyle came to a head in 1990 when the actor was 26-years-old.
After a night of partying, Lowe came home and heard his mother leaving a message on his answering machine. In the message, Lowe’s mother begged him to pick up the phone if he was there; his grandfather had had a heart attack.
Lowe didn’t pick up the phone.
“I remember going into the bathroom, looking at myself in the mirror and my thought process was, ‘You need to drink directly from this bottle of Cuervo Gold so you can go to sleep, so you can wake up, so you can deal with this,’” Lowe recalled. “Out of all the things that had gone on in my life, that was the thing where finally I went, ‘This is no way to live.’ I went to rehab 48 hours later.”
Even though Lowe has had starring roles in hit movies and beloved TV shows, he said that his most rewarding role is that of a husband to his wife of 30 years, Sheryl, and a father to his two sons: Matthew, a lawyer, and John, a TV writer.
“I’ve never been happier, personally or professionally [and] there’s not a day that goes by where I’m not thankful about it all,” Lowe gushed. “I have gratitude and profound humility for the gifts that I’ve been given, and worked for, in this world.”
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